Mr Adams said: "We are a party in transition. I've made it very clear. It is not a question of if I will stand down, it's a question of when I stand down.

"We have a plan. We are in consultation with our grass roots putting together a programme for the next 10 years, a part of that will see a change of leadership. But it's a matter for the party and in the first instance for myself.

"I'm not precious about it, it's a great honour to serve in any capacity whatsoever.

"We are going ahead building our party, why are we doing it? This is the only test for Sinn Fein - it's looking at how and measuring what changes of positivity in people's lives we have brought about.